TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

Sunday, April 30, 2017

I don't know about you but I get tired of the same cards. I like to "JAZZ" things up a bit. So here is a variation of another shutter card but this time there is a flip open panel in the front for your sentiment. I'm once again using the same papers I had used on the Friendship shutter card earlier mainly because there are still scraps left from these sheets. I don't think 4 12 x 12 sheets have gone further LOL. I still have left overs. Here are some instructions if your interested.

6x6 Shutter Book Card

1 piece 6x10 heavy cardstock

1 piece 4 x 4 3/8"
same color card stock

With 10" at top of score board score at 2, 4, 6, 8

With 6" at top of paper trimmer line one side at the
2" mark and cut from 1st score line to 3rd score line. Slide paper to the 4" mark and cut from
the 2nd score line to the last score line

With the 4 x 4 3/8 piece… with 4 3/8 at top score at 3/8
and fold to make a 4x4 square. This will
be attached to the bottom of your main piece to the left to create a right to
left opening flap.

DSP of choice sizes below:

(4) 1.75 x 1.75
pattern A

(3) 1.75 x 1.75
pattern B

(3) 3.75 x 3.75 Pattern B

(1) 3.75 x 3.75 pattern A

(2) 3x3 labels in
solid

Decorate as desired.

I might make mine a mothers day card for my Godmother. It's a cute style and I'm going to for sure use it again but I'd like to try a more manly card. Hmmmm....maybe something to do with golf!Til next time................................HAPPY CARDING

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Previous post have shown you how to make the Tri-Shutter cards with a Birthday theme and a Baby theme. Now I have some Christmas. Included in the photo is a larger version of my Friendship Shutter card.It is so funny how different papers give you different looks. The larger shutter card in the middle fits in a regular Legal size envelope which is awesome because you can buy a box from the dollar store and then just "Jazz" them up with some scraps to match your card.This larger one uses a 12 x 9 piece of card stock. Score on 12" side at 3, 6, and 9 rotate so 9" side is at top of paper cutter go in 3" from side and cut from 1st score line to last score line. repeat on opposite side. Fold the same as the friendship shutter card. shown HERE Cut additional pieces of card stock for back and front (2) pieces 3.25" x 9.25". DSP will be the following sizes:12 squares 2.75 x 2.75 I used 5 different patterns1 piece 3x9 for front.You will also need about 15" to 18" of ribbon to thread through the back to close card. This is OPTIONAL.The other 2 Tri-Shutter cards fit in regular A2 envelopes. I'm working on a Variation of the Tri-Fold Shutter that I hope to post later. Not sure yet what papers I want to use (maybe Christmas again?). I also have to write down the measurements. Hardest part is getting the measurements right.Well without further ado............................

All my embellishments are left overs from last year. I did not stamp or punch or die cut a single thing. Amazing! Ok maybe not....I tend to always have alot of left overs. Since you use Designer papers there isn't a big need for alot of embellishments. In fact if you have a blank space that you really feel needs something just add a couple buttons or tie a little bow. Less is more.Well I'm off to figure out the variation.............til next time...........................HAPPY CARDING

Friday, April 28, 2017

So I wanted to share with you the directions for my Tr-Shutter cards. This is what I used for both the baby and birthday cards I previously posted. Directions are very simple and I sure hope easy to follow. Sometimes I get "Wordy". LOL If you have any issues please let me know and I will help where I can.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Well it sure didn't take long to make another Tri-Shutter card. These cards are so easy to make and when you add different papers they almost look like totally different folds. I had just found out that my cousin has a new grand-baby!! How exciting for her. She has been quite busy taking care of the other grandkids while her daughter was in the hospital and called me to say she needs a girls night out. LOL Yep grandkids can be exhausting! So we are meeting up later this week and I wanted to give her a congratulations card. I didn't have much boy stuff here but I did have some leftovers from my grandsons 1st year album. A Tri -Shutter is easy to decorate because alot of times it's all about the shape not the embellishments.

I have no idea where the papers or the animals came from since they were all leftovers. I added a little glitter for enhancement. I like the turn out but if I was to critique it I'd say Hippos don't just float in the air and giant leaves don't drop out of clouds. LOLI found some Christmas paper in the China Cabinet (come on....isn't that where you keep yours?????😃😃) so I think I'll now make a Christmas one. I'll post that next.Til laterHAPPY CARDING!!!

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Aghhhhh.........how on earth do I get sooo unorganized??? Had a kids birthday party to go to and I went to get the gift out of the closet and noticed NO CARD! Dang it...we were going to be leaving in a half hour! Not wanting to go down to the craft room I went instead into the closet of Misc stuff! Am I the only one who has one of these??? You know what I mean don't you? A closet where you toss everything you have left all over the house from doing some sort of craft when you find out company is coming. Well mine keeps getting more and more stuffed.😨😨😨 Anyway found some rose colored card stock and some hot pink Designer scraps. One look at it and you think No WAY. Cannot go together. That's like trying to be a Victorian Hippy! I think I am one! Heehee Well I used it anyway. Then found some Owls that were punched from a calendar, some leftover clouds, googlie eyes, and a few glitter hearts(yellow) from Valentines day. Pale blue ribbon and some orange and yellow present border punch. Sounds awful right??? Yeah if I were to tell anyone to get those supplies and colors and said make me a card I could give away....they would laugh. Buuttttttt..................here it is. A Tri Shutter multi colored Owl Birthday card!

Definitely not my best work but for a last minute card for an 8yr old I think it can pass. So off to the party we went and people oooo'd and ahhhhh'd that silly card. Funny how one mans trash really is another ones treasure.Now that I know I can completely design cut and assemble a birthday card in less than 30 minutes with nearly no real supplies from the craft room I'm not sure that I want to clean out that Misc Closet. I am sure to be pressed for time again and that is just the spot to find some lost treasures.Til next timeHAPPY CARDING!

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Hello.....what a bright sunny day we have here today. I have lots to do but first thought I'd put out a quick post. I got together with a friend of mine Cindy. We did a whole lot of gabbing, eBay searching and drinking Ice Coffee (YUMMY)😄😄 I had brought some stuff to try a variation on the Shutter fold card. I sooooo thought this was going to be a quick little card and boy was I wrong..lol. First of all I did not bring any embellishments. I just figured we'd make our own. I didn't bring any stamps so we sorted though hers trying to find what we liked. Forgot about ribbon so we needed to decide on that too. Then there was the Designer papers............though I brought 5 sheets of coordinating papers by the time I cut all the squares it was all to Matchy Matchy for the both of us so into her bins we went to find something that would pop. Our popping color ended up being a sea green and we found ribbon that was pretty close to that color too. Now of course I can't remember the color ink we used but it was a maroony color (is that a word??😕😕) which blended with the maroon print paper we used.Ok enough suspense here's the card .....and....basic instructions.

Base is 8x6
scored at 2, 4, 6, on 8" side. Turn
so 6" side is at top of the cutter.
Go across 2" and down 1" and cut from 1" mark to 7"
mark. Flip and repeat on other
side. Fold as in picture. Cut (10) DSP squares 1 7/8 x 1 7/8 and (4)
DSP rectangles 7/8 x 1 7/8.

For front
and back cut (2) DSP 2.25 x 6.25 (1) 14" piece ribbon

When
attaching front and back only glue top and bottom leaving center open for
ribbon to slide.

The doily was a new die I bought by Prima Dies on Amazon (my favorite shopping place heehee) Butterfly was a Martha Stewart punch. The F tag in panel next to butterfly was a Sizzix Alpha Bar set called Doodle tag (retired)

So that's it!!!! Cute though when closed this card is only about 2.25 x 6.25. Both Cindy and I thought a bit bigger would be nice too so I'm going to work on that and post that later.

We had a great time last night but my husband said he wasn't sure if I could have another play date with Cindy since I did not come home until 1am!! LOL That's even later than when 5 of us are together heehee. Well that just proves that we didn't bore each other!😉😉😉

Friday, April 14, 2017

Finally!!! A few posts back I had the planning of the Heartfelt Creations Fold out cards. I had indicated that I was too "Frugal" to buy the bases so I was making my own. Well the first card I actually made, I used the Heartfelt Creations Collection called "A Burst of Splendor". I believe that is retired. Anyway it was for my sister for her Birthday and it turned out beautiful.

I did not take any pictures of it Un-embellished. I should have so you could see more of the details.Soooooo........I decided to make another. This time I used the Woodland Cottage collection from Heartfelt Creation and I have alot more pictures.First you start out with your base which you can either make your own by tracing one of the store bought Heartfelt Creations cards found HERE or figure one out for yourself. I traced from my girlfriends store bought card base. This finished card measures 6 x 24 so each panel is 6"wide with 1st one being 6x6 and then each other one gradually shortening and having a curvy top. Style is a basic Z fold card. Next the papers. I'm using the Fairies from the Woodland Cottage collection. You will probably need about 3 sheets in order to have a different look on each section. Here are the papers adhered to the base. I cut all of mine 5 7/8" wide and trimmed each piece to fit each section. Cutting them smaller than the 6" base width allows for the fold to crease cleanly.

front closed

inside opened

backside opened

As you can see the papers are very decorative by themselves and I guess technically could just be left alone for those who do not like all the embellishing.I used a border die for the cute top border but its not necessary. If you check my post on Easter fold outs found HERE you can see how I added other trims.Now all the rest is embellishing!! ALOT of fussy cutting!!! ALOT of glitter!!! But the end result............................AWESOME.

front closed

inside opened

outside opened

Pretty cool!! All the little details make it POP! Here's a few close ups of some of the left over fussy cuts I have. I can now use these on another card. Funny how the camera isn't picking up the glitter. Darn because they are so cool looking all sparkly!

AWWWE...SOME! Now these 2 cards are a bit fancy due to the wonderful ability to use my friend Junes Heartfelt Creation dies but again as I said you don't need to. You can try other trims such as my Easter cards have. Maybe my next fold out will be using NON Heartfelt Creation papers or dies. I'll make it more user friendly. I know not all of us have all these fancy papers plus they are expensive so lets try a more available paper and more available edge punches. So look forward to another fantastic Fold out card.Til then.......................HAPPY CARDING!

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Hi Everybody just a short post today to show you this adorable Bunny Door Decoration. As most of you know I get together with friends at least once a month for card making. Well this last Friday was no exception. We did start our cards. Everyone was working on the Heartfelt Creation Fold Out Cards. No body totally finished. Well one was really close! In fact she surprised us...lol. Anyway before we left another one of the ladies had bought all the makings for each of us to make this cute Bunny wreath.

First let me say thank you Cindy and second double thank you for letting us make one heck of a mess in your craft room!! Feathers floated everywhere and we who wore black slacks......well you can imagine! She found directions on Pinterest, but it's super easy. First you need a Styrofoam wreath. I think ours were about 15". She had all the wreaths pre-wrapped with crepe paper white streamers due to the wreath originally being green. Then the ears had been bought at Michaels. Its a headband actually and this got duct taped to the wreath with white duct tape. Next 4 white feather boa's from the Dollar Tree. Secure the beginning and the end pieces with straight pins. Then a bow. Plaid was 4" wide and about 1 yard and the center was 3" wide and about 7" long. No gluing just used pipe cleaners to tie bow and then more pipe cleaners to attach to the wreath. Then done! Super cute...super easy! And I needed a door decoration!Well next time I should have more of my new Fold out card completed. Working on a fairy scene. Should be super cute!LaterHAPPY CARDING!

About Me

Mother of 2 and grandmother of 2. We live where seasons have changes and to keep myself busy during the cold months I tend to work on alot of papercrafts. Cards are my ultimate favorite. I love creating and surfing the web looking for ideas and video's from fellow cardmakers.